High times: Shopping on a high in a car boot clouded sky
I will not even begin to go into the amount of ridiculous things I have bought when high in the past but it is enough to say that on one occasion I spent my entire student loan payment for my second year on some stunning knee-high boots, a trench coat and countless other clothes which are now not nearly as lovely as the day I bought them. To deny that shopping is a part of my psyche, indeed that it is a hobby of mine, would be wrong. I love to shop and indeed the boy has said to healthcare professionals in the past that he first noticed I had become depressed when I stopped being interested in shopping. Despite my earlier naughty days of spending in the high of a haze I like to think that for the most part I now have my shopping habit under control. Rather than going out and buying a £350 coat from Jaegur, an antique tea trolley or dolls house from eBay which I am still yet to collect, I try instead to focus my attentions on charity shops and even Freecycle. This way I get the buzz of the shop, the hunt and the find with little of the cost and subsequent inevitable bankruptcy this habit may have brung me to had I not nipped it in the bud.
Nevertheless there are times when I am flying a bit high, and for once I have enough self perception to see that this has certainly been the case since last Tuesday, I feel compelled to shop. This week I have found myself considering, in no particular order, buying a house, a classic black Porsche in shocking repair (only put off by cost of insurance which is huge) and a beautiful white dressing table complete with stool and stand alone mirror.
Part of the problem is I live in Market Harborough which is not only a charity shop heaven but also home to Joules, Halo, Thorntons Jewellers and Gildings. The other issue is the internet and my ever so overworked debit card and paypal account. I truly think there should be a box to tick when you buy something, online or otherwise, that states that you are not currently in the sways of a semi hypomanic episode. Unfortunately there is not so my latest solution is t get out cash for the week and give my card to a trusted person to look after till the spending buzz is over.
Nothing illustrates how random my shopping becomes when I am high more than the list of things I bought at a car boot sale on Sunday. One thing that I think is not as often reported about bipolar is that sufferers do not only buy things for themselves, more often than not they are compelled to buy things for others, work colleagues, friends, family, even the nice lady they interviewed the other day because she said she loved nursery rhymes.
I am trying to keep a check on this high and sometimes writing down my racing thoughts can help so forgive me please if I am babbling somewhat. But here, if you want a bit of a giggle and have a little time on your hands, read this list and let me know below what the most silly thing you have ever bought is, even if you’ve never been ‘high’ in your life. I think my mummy who bought a set of golf clubs the other day at the same sale would be a good one to start.
For baby -
Shape sorting bath whale
Beach tent
The Tiger Who Came To Tea
Next jogging bottoms in red and blue
Polar Bear T-shirt (nephew loves bears)
Thomas top
Beige combat trousers
For me -
Antique tea set
Mini children’s wasp protector (looks rather like tennis racket but have found out the hard way is best not to touch it)
The Duchess
For someone else, not entirely sure who yet however
Ikea pinboard
Large wine glasses times two in bottle green
Golf bag carrier
Girls aloud hits (okay admittedly this is for the boy because I know he would never dare buy it himself but loves some of their tracks)
American Songbook triple CD
Viva La Vida album Coldplay
Rhianna
Happy Songs
Rock Anthems
Take That, Beautiful World
Maroon 5 (an ex bought me this but he ruined it for me for years as he had written all over the CD so now I have one that has not been tainted by old memories)
Damien Rice (Only the most awesome album in the world)
Fat Boy Slim, You’ve Come A Long Way Baby (was apparently bought on an offer of two CDs for £22 in the days before the birth of download and Amazon domination of the music trade)
The Greatest Songs From The Musicals (The lady who this is going to will know it could only ever go to her as she is herself the star of a hit musical and all round generally brilliant singer)
Evita soundtrack
Country Roads
I wont bore you with the individual price tag but the total cost of this hour of decadence and abandon at Market Harborough Rugby Club car boot sale was £26.50. Oh and I bought a lion but my mother has dropped him off at an undisclosed charity shop as she said we didn’t have time to wash him. If anyone sees a lion in the Harborough area, please let me know.
